The Tech Lobby

Technology companies increasingly lobby the Canadian federal government.  Does this mean that technology companies are exerting more influence? What subjects do they lobby about? Which departments and people do they lobby?

Thetechlobby.ca is a project led by Sara Bannerman joined by a cross-country team of researchers examining various aspects of tech companies’ lobbying of the Canadian federal government.

Data

This project draws on records contained in the Canadian lobbying registry and a large corpus of government documents obtained via access to information requests. This information allows us to gain insight into the relationships between technology companies and federal government agencies and departments. Read more about our data here.

Our work

Our TechLobby Rapid Report on AI Lobbying in Canada provides an overview of AI lobbying trends in Canada, drawing on data provided by the Registry of Lobbyists. It finds that although there are a broad range of industry actors engaged in AI lobbying in Canada, lobbying activity is primarily driven by the private sector, and by technology companies specifically.  The report was written on June 9, 2026 and reflects data up to that date.

An interactive dashboard draws data from the Canadian Federal Lobbying Registry published by the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying.

Latest posts:

• The US Tech Lobby Across Borders: A Methodological Framework for Analyzing Big Tech Lobbying and Canada’s Digital Sovereignty
• The Tech Lobby in Canada: Special issue of the Canadian Journal of Communication
• 2024 Tech Lobby Annual Report
• Company Profile: Elon Musk companies
• “From Free to Fee”: How Course Hero Exploits Teachers and Learners

Our research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, McMaster University, and the Canada Research Chairs program.

Accessibility Statement

McMaster University is committed to providing websites that are accessible to the widest possible audience. If you require any content on this website in an alternate format, please email access@mcmaster.ca and we will respond as promptly as possible.